Vacation! (Filler)

     For the first time in a couple years, I am actually on vacation, and not feeling particularly stressed to do much of anything. I had written a lovely filler post about things I'd promised to do in life when I was young, but I didn't finish it, and I've been too caught up in vacation today to finish it. So! Here's a set of pictures I took a while ago of fortuitous chocolate chip cookie arrangements.

Cookie 1, laughing at something that
cookies two and three find inappropriate.

Recovery week

     St. Patrick's Day is finally behind us, and now it's time to work on recovery. The last two nights have been spent with both ankles and both knees in wraps and braces, and I've slept over 9 hours each night. Fortunately I have semi-decent memory, because when I woke up today, I realized that, not only had I not prepared a post for today, but I also have a meeting with my advisor on campus in an hour and a half.

     With that in mind, here's a thank you that was sent to all of us from a preschool class that we went and danced for. I'd like to say that next week's post will be more comprehensive, but I'd be lying, since it will be spring break, and I will have a guest over. Here's hoping your week is a little less crazy than mine has been!

FTP 6 - Good life goals

   Something to consider, as the St. Patrick's Day weekend looms before those of us condemned to perform it instead of enjoy it:

Why do you do what you do? Do you commit to things you don't enjoy? If so, why, and are those reasons more important than you having a good life? Be honest, you never know where it may get you...

It's that time of the year again...

     And if you have any connections to an Irish dancer, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For most of the year, we are forgotten, shoved aside, and largely ignored by most of society, unless it's a big gig like Riverdance or Lord of the Dance. We have our own shows, our own competitions, and quietly get by doing that which we love best in relative anonymity.

Riverdance

     But then here comes March 17th, a day that mostly carries connotations of green beer and shamrocks for the majority of the public, and is a source of both joy and slight dread for us dancers. St. Patrick's Day is the one time of year that the rest of the world goes, "Oh right! Irish dancing! That exists!" and subsequently demands that we do a show, parade, or performance at every possible opportunity. We dance indoors, outdoors, on existing dance floors and concrete pads, with generous room to move around or else cramped between tables as harried servers try to edge around out flying feet. This year is a little more sorted out, but last year we had a couple places that booked our group to perform, and then when we showed up they said, "what, you need a stage to dance on?" Sigh.

FTP 5 - Transforming yourself

     I ran across a little quote the other day that said "live the life you've always imagined." While there is some usefulness in that phrase, I challenge you today to a slightly different version that comes in three steps.

1. Imagine the life you've lived. If you were lying on your deathbed right now, looking back over your life, what would you remember? How would you sum up your life?
2. Imagine the life you want to live. It's very important to do this realistically, too. Goals have to be challenging, certainly, but also within the realm of possibility, no matter how far-reaching. What do you want to have said of your life? 
3. Compare the two, and live the differences. You have to know where you're starting from in order to get where you're going. 

     So what about you do you want to change? Sometimes it even helps to start small- take the long way home to see the sights, take a walk instead of turning on the tv, smile at someone you don't know, etc. Yeah, it's not easy, but are you really living the life you want to? Only one person can change that...

Compassion and attitude

     When I first moved out to Colorado, it was after roughly 25 years on the east coast, at least 15 of which had been in the DC area. I had learned how to drive on I-95, and most of my road trips had been through New York and New Jersey. Living in Northern Virginia, you can go from shotgun-toting, chickens-and-rusted-trucks-in-the-front-yard areas to million-dollar neighborhoods with security cameras and locked gates within a half an hour. Everyone keeps to themselves, and if you have to interact with others, it's best to establish a pecking order as quickly as possible, lest someone think you're just another hanger-on to the DC area.

     Moving out to the midwest was a massive culture shock, probably because I wasn't expecting it to be. When you go to another country, you expect things to be different- new language, new culture, new everything (except McDonald's and Starbucks). Moving across the country, however, I had expected things to be roughly the same ol same ol. Perhaps some new hobbies, different scenery, but America is a mixing pot- a homogenous society, right? Right?

FTP 4 - Down time

     This week has seen a lot of down time for me. Nothing big has happened, mostly I've just been waiting on things to come to fruition, or working on middle steps before the big stuff can be realized. But rather than viewing it as wasted time, I'm gonna say no, this is my relax time, doing the stuff I like doing (I'm actually reading books I want to read, instead of have to read!), and resting up for the big stuff that's coming. Don't kick yourself for "wasting time" if you're not really putting off things that absolutely have to be done. There's a difference between relaxation and procrastination. Learn it, live it, love it, and try to be a little less hard on yourself. You're worth it!